By Bobby Mathews, Sports Editor
CENTER POINT — Almost any superlative fits Center Point tailback Troy Bruce.
Troy Bruce (No. 7) had 300 all-purpose yards as Center Point steamrolled a hapless Pell City team. (Photo by Ron Burkett)
The 5-9, 170-pound senior has been an All-State selection, an All-Tribune Team lock, and a superstar presence on the Eagles’ football squad ever since he was a freshman. Center Point head coach George Bates has said on more than one occasion that Bruce is the best pound-for-pound running back in the state.
And maybe he’s right.
On Friday, Bruce proved his coach’s point again as he racked up more than 300 all-purpose yards and scored three times against an over-matched Pell City team.
The Eagles won 56-10, and they’re now 4-0 on the season and 2-0 in 6A Region 6.
Bruce ran the ball only nine times — totaling 123 yards and scoring twice. He also caught a four-yard pass from Jabari Collier for a score in the third quarter. Bruce didn’t score on a kickoff return, but he set the
Eagles up in good field position with a 70-yard runback at one point in the game.
Rushing. Receiving. Running back kicks. It might be helpful to note that Bruce has also played quarterback for the Eagles before, so the idea of him tossing a touchdown isn’t out of the realm of possibility either.
So far this season, Bruce has 668 yards rushing on 61 carries. He’s scored 15 touchdowns — 13 of those on the ground — and he’s averaging 11 yards per carry.
That’s why Bruce is the OrthoAlabama Spine & Sports Player of the Week.
Bruce has been offered a scholarship to play football at Southern Miss. He was offered by the Eagles back on February 10 of this year. He’s a leader on a team that finished as one of the top eight teams in Class 5A in 2021 and is now making the transition to 6A.
That move to 6A has so far not slowed Bruce — nor the Eagles — down in the least.
Bruce faced stiff competition from teammates Jabari Collier (12/15 for 230 yards passing, 3 total TDs) and Harold Holloman (4 catches, 169 yards for a 42.3 average yards per catch). Also nominated for the award were Moody quarterback Cole McCarty (13/16, 188 yards, 4 TDs) and Pinson Valley’s TJ Metcalf and Tevis Metcalf, who combined on a huge defensive effort to allow 0 catches in man coverage against rival Clay-Chalkville.
